Thousands of hogs dead in barn blaze

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This article was published 08/06/2017 (2485 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A total of 3,500 hogs died after two adjacent hog barns went up in flames near New Bothwell on Thursday night around 9:30 p.m.

Hanover fire chief Paul Wiebe said New Bothwell firefighters were first to respond to the report of a structure fire in a hog barn. He said crews from Kleefeld and Grunthal were quickly called in to help battle the fire on a property on Road 39N, just west of Road 23E. A water tanker from Niverville also provided assistance, he added.

One barn was fully involved, Wiebe said, when crews arrived and the fire quickly spread to a second barn, which was connected to the first by a hallway, which Wiebe said included an area for loading and office space.

GRANT BURR | THE CARILLON
Hanover fire chief Paul Wiebe (right) talks with other fire department members at the scene of a hog barn fire, west of New Bothwell, on Thursday night.
GRANT BURR | THE CARILLON Hanover fire chief Paul Wiebe (right) talks with other fire department members at the scene of a hog barn fire, west of New Bothwell, on Thursday night.

“It’ll be a total loss,” he said, as crews continued to monitor the fire shortly after midnight.

An investigator from the Office of the Fire Commissioner was on scene. A cause has yet to be identified.

The barns were two of five barns on the property.

Wiebe said this was the first major barn fire in the municipality in over two years and noted the metal-clad structures can be challenging fires to fight.

“The fire can burn quite hot on the inside before anyone even knows its burning,” he observed.

GRANT BURR | THE CARILLON
No cause has yet been determined in the fire, which resulted in the death of 3,500 hogs.
GRANT BURR | THE CARILLON No cause has yet been determined in the fire, which resulted in the death of 3,500 hogs.

Crews were expected to remain on scene overnight.

GRANT BURR | THE CARILLON
Fire crews were first called to the blaze around 9:30 p.m. Members from all Hanover fire departments attended the scene and were also assisted by the Niverville Fire Department.
GRANT BURR | THE CARILLON Fire crews were first called to the blaze around 9:30 p.m. Members from all Hanover fire departments attended the scene and were also assisted by the Niverville Fire Department.
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